KPK Updates
- Thread starter Syed Haider Imam
- Start date
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
September 25 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
[h=2]Efforts for archaeological tourism’s revival pledged
[/h]MINGORA: Culture activists and archaeologists here on Saturday pledged to make joint efforts for the revival and promotion of archaeological tourism in the region.
They were speaking during a seminar on Sustainable Archaeological Tourism and Role of Local Communities in Heritage Conservation at Swat Museum, Saidu Sharif.
The event was jointly organised by the Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan, Archaeology Tourism Project and department of archaeology in museums with the support of Suvastu Arts and Culture Association, and Swat Archaeological Guides Association.
Civil society members, culture activists, officials of tourism department, and representatives of hotel industry, archeologists and media showed up in large numbers.
[h=4]Experts say cultural, archaeological tourism a major source of foreign exchange[/h]
Aftab Rana, president of Sustainable Tourism Foundation in Pakistan, said the seminar was organised to create public awareness of sustainable archaeological tourism in Swat valley and to discuss the role of stakeholders, especially in the conservation of archaeological heritage in Swat, which was a great tourist attraction in KP.
He said sustainable tourism meant to respect local culture and avoid and damage or harm to local archaeological sites and not to spread any pollutant thing at the site.
Dr Luca Maria Olivieri, head of the Italian Archaeological Mission addresses the seminar. -Photo by aurthor.
“Majority of visitors to Swat seems to be unaware of the rich culture and archaeological heritage, so we want to promote archaeological tourism by initiating an off-season tourism and create recourses of earning to the communities living closer to the archaeological sites,” he said.
Massimo Vidale, a professor of archaeology at the University of Padova, Italy, who has been busy with excavation under the Italian archeological mission in Swat since 2000, said he was proud to be part of the Archaeological Community Tourism project with the involvement of local community in archeology in Swat.
“We have been connected with Swat archaeological heritage and communities since 1955. The new phase of archaeological undertakings by Italians with the department of archaeology to promote tourism is really a successful tool,” he said.
Massimo Vidale said tourism was the most important industry in the world as the people took interest in their past.
“The people want to know about others’ culture. They want to know why and what are the difference in other cultures and civilisations for which they are ready to pay and visit,” he said, adding archaeology tourism was one of the best means of earning and learning.
He said he had been working in different countries as Iran, India, Turkmenistan, Nepal and Iraq but he had never found workers more intelligent, dedicated and loving than Swatis.
Zarwar Khan, an archaeology professor in the University of Swat, said internationally where there was archaeology, there was an active tourism.
“Countries like China, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt and Greece earned huge foreign exchange due to cultural and archaeological tourism. Archaeology in Swat is highly important and sacred to Buddhists, who used to visit Swat in droves before militancy,” he said.
He said the government was trying to re-attract Buddhist tourists to Swat as the area was very peaceful once again.
Suvastu Arts and Culture Association chairperson Usman Ulas Yar said he and his colleagues were ready to work for the protection and promotion of Swat’s culture heritage.
Faizur Rehman, curator of the Swat Archaeological Museum, said the archaeology department in Swat was going to initiate a campaign to promote Swat archaeological sites in the educational institutions across the valley.
“Students from primary level to university’s will be invited to Swat museum and different archeological sites in Swat where they will be briefed about the history and importance of each site,” he said praising the Italian archaeological mission for extensive work in Swat.
Later, Swat civil society members and cultural activists presented a souvenir to Dr Luca Maria Olivieri, the head of the Italian archaeological mission in Pakistan to recognise his 30 years of services in Swat archaeology.
Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1285982/efforts-for-archaeological-tourisms-revival-pledged
[h=2]Centre asked to remove reservations of Pakhtuns on CPEC
[/h] MARDAN: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has asked the central government to remove reservations of Pakhtuns about their share in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
He was addressing a party meeting in Ghari Kapoora area here on Sunday. Former nazim Abdul Salam Khan anlong with his family members and friends announced to join QWP on the occasion.
Mr Sherpao said that steps should be taken for timely completion of CPEC and its protection as the project would bring revolutionary changes in the entire region. “The federal government should ensure that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gets is due share in the CPEC schemes,” he said. He also demanded of the federal government to convene the meeting of National Finance Commission for timely issuance of the NFC award to distribute revenue among the provinces and the centre.
[h=4]Sherpao says delay in NFC award hampering development of KP[/h]
‘‘The National Finance Commission is a constitutional body formed under Article 160 of the Constitution. It consists of the representatives of the four provinces and federal government. The commission is tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a five-year agreement on how to distribute revenues from the federal divisible pool of taxes,’ said Mr Sherpao.
He alleged that the PML-N government was reluctant to finalise NFC award. Delay in finalisation of NFC award was hampering development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.
The QWP chief said that diplomatic channels should be used to establish friendly relations with neighbouring Afghanistan in order to avoid isolation in the region.
“We have cultural, religious and social relations with Afghanistan. Friendly relations will provide tremendous opportunities of business and development to the entire region and Pakistan can become a gateway for exports to the energy-rich Central Asian states,” he added.
Mr Sherpao said that Fata should be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without any delay to end deprivation of Pakhtuns in the tribal belt. He said that tribal Pakhtuns rendered numerous sacrifices for the country but they were still living under a black law.
The QWP chief also expressed concerns over delay in holding census. He said that a bill in that regard was already tabled in the National Assembly. However, the federal government was not responding to the bill, which was depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of its rights, he added.
Mr Sherpao claimed that his party would sweep the upcoming general elections as it was working for the rights of Pakhtuns. He also lauded the efforts of the armed forces in uprooting terrorism and said that people of Pakhtunkhwa would fight alongside army in case of any threat to the country from foreign aggressors.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286130/centre-asked-to-remove-reservations-of-pakhtuns-on-cpec
[h=2]Govt decides to strengthen district health system
[/h] PESHAWAR: The government has increased vacancies for doctors in management cadre to strengthen district health system and utilise the available resources in professional manner for the benefit of the people.
“A total of 226 new positions in the management cadre have been created to run the district health system effectively,” sources said. They said that posts of BPS-17 in management cadre were raised to 101 from the existing 26 while 96 vacancies in BPS-18 were created against the present strength of 64.
The management cadre posts in BPS-19 and BPS-20 had also been increased to provide qualified health managers as part of a long-term programme to deploy trained people at the districts.
Sources said that t government was facing an uphill task to improve patients’ care at primary and secondary health facilities despite increasing monetary benefits for doctors, paramedics and nurses. The government wanted the administrative cadre doctors to manage the system at grassroots level and trickle down benefits to people, they added.
[h=4]Number of vacancies for doctors in management cadre increased[/h]
Sources said that 2,600 new positions in general cadre were also created. The doctors would be posted in rural areas to improve clinical work at primary healthcare and provide round-the-clock services to the people, they added.
“A rural health centre will get at least eight medical officers, including lady doctors. The strength is enough to provide services to the target population if properly managed,” they said.
Sources said that government also approved posts of deputy district health officers (DDHOs) in management cadre to supervise and monitor the performance of dispensaries, basic health units and secondary level facilities properly.
Sources said that health department also required the services of trained health managers for better planning and management at the district level. Most of the district didn’t have proper health managers. Usually the doctors, who were required to perform clinical duties, indulged in managerial affairs in which they didn’t have any experience, they added.
“The authorities have also decided that doctors having MBBS with Master in Public Health (MPH) will be appointed directly in BPS-18 due to their specialty,” said sources. They added that medical graduates were appointed in BPS-17 as first appointment but they were posted as district specialists or senior medical officers in BPS-18 when they got postgraduate qualification.
Sources said that some positions like that of medical superintendent of Maulvi Ameer Shah Memorial Hospital were downgraded from BPS-20 to BPS-19 as it was a category C hospital.
DHO coordinators, alongside the office of director-general health services will also get more management positions in BPS-20 to strengthen monitoring and evaluation of the healthcare facilities.
After increase in their salaries, the general cadre doctors are now willing to be posted in far flung areas but the department requires a proper mechanism to pool the resources for making health services available to people.
Sources said that it was also discussed at the top level to introduce regional health authorities (RHAs) and run the district health facilities through independent Board of Governors on the pattern of National Health Services UK. The system grants complete autonomy to RHAs to make decisions like postings and transfers purchases, repairs and managing clinical affairs.
“Before, setting up RHAs, the government wants to strengthen district health administratively,” said sources.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286129/govt-decides-to-strengthen-district-health-system
[h=2]KP takes lead in enacting whistleblower protection law
[/h] The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Sept 19 unanimously enacted ‘The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Act, 2016,’ taking lead over the federal government as well as other three provinces in making a law on the subject.
The law is aimed at setting up a Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission (WPVC) so as to encourage citizens of the province to make public interest disclosures related to corruption and corrupt practices and to protect such citizens from disadvantageous measures.
The bill in this regard was introduced in the assembly on Oct 5, 2015 and was referred to the select committee for consideration on Nov 17, 2015. The committee was chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. The said bill was discussed by the committee and subsequently a revised bill was drafted and placed before the committee on Aug 30, 2016. The committee suggested changes to the revised bill and subsequently a final bill was referred to the assembly.
Earlier, the provincial government had enacted ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013’ to ensure transparency in the functioning of government departments. In that law the government had also included a provision regarding whistleblowers.
Section 30 of the RTI Act provides that no one may be subject to any legal, administrative or employment-related sanction, regardless of any breach of a legal or employment obligation, for releasing information or wrongdoing, or which would disclose a serious threat to health, safety or the environment, as long as they acted in good faith and in reasonable belief that the information was substantially true.
The present law defines a whistleblower as a person or an agency, who discloses the public interest information under this law.
The law envisages setting up of a WPVC comprising three commissioners to be appointed by the government for three years. The Act provides certain qualification for the commissioner, including that he or she should be a citizen of Pakistan and permanent resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; is honest and a person with good character; is minimum of 45 years of age; has a Bachelor’s degree and had at least 15 years experience in the field of law, or professional of high repute from civil society or has remained a public office-holder for at least 20 years; is not a defaulter of government dues; etc.
The said commission is empowered to initiate an inquiry on the pointation of a whistleblower against any person, department or authority and will put forward recommendations for taking appropriate action against the concerned official if the information provided by the whistleblower proved to be correct.
The WPVC shall ensure that no whistleblower is victimised by disadvantageous measures or otherwise merely on the ground that such whistleblower had made a public interest disclosure or rendered assistance in inquiry under this law. It is provided that if a whistleblower is being subjected to disadvantageous measures he may file an application before the commission seeking redress and the commission may pass an appropriate order giving direction to the authority concerned.
Experts believe that certain changes made in the initial bill and passed by the assembly had reduced the scope of this law. The bill initially introduced in the assembly provided vast information which could be considered as Public Interest Disclosure (PID).
Initially, in the bill it was provided that PID means any declaration of information by an individual or by an agency who reasonably believes that such information may prevent action that infringes or is likely to infringe the health and safety of the public, the environment, consumer interests, fair competition; or, an action that of corruption and corrupt practices; or, an action that tends to show that a criminal offence or other unlawful act has been committed or is likely to be committed; or an action that may lead to the occurrence of miscarriage of justice.
However, the select-committee removed several of the sub-sections from the initial bill and now in the law passed by the assembly PID only includes information aimed at preventing an action of corruption and corrupt practices.
The law also carries provisions related to rewards and penalties. It is provided that after inquiry, if it has been proved that a whistleblower has rightly disclosed the violation of public interest he shall be rewarded 30 per cent of the recovered amount and certificate of appreciation.
After inquiry if it has been proved that the whistleblower has lodged frivolous or mala fide complaint, he shall be liable to a fine of 30 per cent of the actual amount claimed against a person with rigorous imprisonment for a three years; provided that the amount of the fine shall be paid to the person against whom the complaint has been made.
In the initial bill, it was provided that in case of a frivolous complaint by a whistleblower he shall be liable to a fine of Rs100,000.
In the Act the punishment for frivolous or mala fide complaint is made so rigorous that it would discourage citizens from coming forward and making Public Interest Disclosure. It would be responsibility of a whistleblower to provide evidence of a wrongdoing and not that of any government agency.
The enactment of this law is in line with the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2003 and was ratified by Pakistan on Aug 31, 2007. The Convention makes it obligatory on the member states to include in its legal system measures for providing protection to the persons reporting regarding corruption.
Legal experts believe that there are already many anti-corruption bodies in the country as well as in the province and creating another commission for looking into information related to corruption and corrupt practices would further complicate the issue. Presently, the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, KP Ehtesab Commission and KP Anti-Corruption Establishment have been looking into corruption cases in the province.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286118/kp-takes-lead-in-enacting-whistleblower-protection-law
[/h]MINGORA: Culture activists and archaeologists here on Saturday pledged to make joint efforts for the revival and promotion of archaeological tourism in the region.
They were speaking during a seminar on Sustainable Archaeological Tourism and Role of Local Communities in Heritage Conservation at Swat Museum, Saidu Sharif.
The event was jointly organised by the Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan, Archaeology Tourism Project and department of archaeology in museums with the support of Suvastu Arts and Culture Association, and Swat Archaeological Guides Association.
Civil society members, culture activists, officials of tourism department, and representatives of hotel industry, archeologists and media showed up in large numbers.
[h=4]Experts say cultural, archaeological tourism a major source of foreign exchange[/h]
Aftab Rana, president of Sustainable Tourism Foundation in Pakistan, said the seminar was organised to create public awareness of sustainable archaeological tourism in Swat valley and to discuss the role of stakeholders, especially in the conservation of archaeological heritage in Swat, which was a great tourist attraction in KP.
He said sustainable tourism meant to respect local culture and avoid and damage or harm to local archaeological sites and not to spread any pollutant thing at the site.
Dr Luca Maria Olivieri, head of the Italian Archaeological Mission addresses the seminar. -Photo by aurthor.
“Majority of visitors to Swat seems to be unaware of the rich culture and archaeological heritage, so we want to promote archaeological tourism by initiating an off-season tourism and create recourses of earning to the communities living closer to the archaeological sites,” he said.
Massimo Vidale, a professor of archaeology at the University of Padova, Italy, who has been busy with excavation under the Italian archeological mission in Swat since 2000, said he was proud to be part of the Archaeological Community Tourism project with the involvement of local community in archeology in Swat.
“We have been connected with Swat archaeological heritage and communities since 1955. The new phase of archaeological undertakings by Italians with the department of archaeology to promote tourism is really a successful tool,” he said.
Massimo Vidale said tourism was the most important industry in the world as the people took interest in their past.
“The people want to know about others’ culture. They want to know why and what are the difference in other cultures and civilisations for which they are ready to pay and visit,” he said, adding archaeology tourism was one of the best means of earning and learning.
He said he had been working in different countries as Iran, India, Turkmenistan, Nepal and Iraq but he had never found workers more intelligent, dedicated and loving than Swatis.
Zarwar Khan, an archaeology professor in the University of Swat, said internationally where there was archaeology, there was an active tourism.
“Countries like China, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt and Greece earned huge foreign exchange due to cultural and archaeological tourism. Archaeology in Swat is highly important and sacred to Buddhists, who used to visit Swat in droves before militancy,” he said.
He said the government was trying to re-attract Buddhist tourists to Swat as the area was very peaceful once again.
Suvastu Arts and Culture Association chairperson Usman Ulas Yar said he and his colleagues were ready to work for the protection and promotion of Swat’s culture heritage.
Faizur Rehman, curator of the Swat Archaeological Museum, said the archaeology department in Swat was going to initiate a campaign to promote Swat archaeological sites in the educational institutions across the valley.
“Students from primary level to university’s will be invited to Swat museum and different archeological sites in Swat where they will be briefed about the history and importance of each site,” he said praising the Italian archaeological mission for extensive work in Swat.
Later, Swat civil society members and cultural activists presented a souvenir to Dr Luca Maria Olivieri, the head of the Italian archaeological mission in Pakistan to recognise his 30 years of services in Swat archaeology.
Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1285982/efforts-for-archaeological-tourisms-revival-pledged
[h=2]Centre asked to remove reservations of Pakhtuns on CPEC
[/h] MARDAN: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has asked the central government to remove reservations of Pakhtuns about their share in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
He was addressing a party meeting in Ghari Kapoora area here on Sunday. Former nazim Abdul Salam Khan anlong with his family members and friends announced to join QWP on the occasion.
Mr Sherpao said that steps should be taken for timely completion of CPEC and its protection as the project would bring revolutionary changes in the entire region. “The federal government should ensure that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gets is due share in the CPEC schemes,” he said. He also demanded of the federal government to convene the meeting of National Finance Commission for timely issuance of the NFC award to distribute revenue among the provinces and the centre.
[h=4]Sherpao says delay in NFC award hampering development of KP[/h]
‘‘The National Finance Commission is a constitutional body formed under Article 160 of the Constitution. It consists of the representatives of the four provinces and federal government. The commission is tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a five-year agreement on how to distribute revenues from the federal divisible pool of taxes,’ said Mr Sherpao.
He alleged that the PML-N government was reluctant to finalise NFC award. Delay in finalisation of NFC award was hampering development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.
The QWP chief said that diplomatic channels should be used to establish friendly relations with neighbouring Afghanistan in order to avoid isolation in the region.
“We have cultural, religious and social relations with Afghanistan. Friendly relations will provide tremendous opportunities of business and development to the entire region and Pakistan can become a gateway for exports to the energy-rich Central Asian states,” he added.
Mr Sherpao said that Fata should be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without any delay to end deprivation of Pakhtuns in the tribal belt. He said that tribal Pakhtuns rendered numerous sacrifices for the country but they were still living under a black law.
The QWP chief also expressed concerns over delay in holding census. He said that a bill in that regard was already tabled in the National Assembly. However, the federal government was not responding to the bill, which was depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of its rights, he added.
Mr Sherpao claimed that his party would sweep the upcoming general elections as it was working for the rights of Pakhtuns. He also lauded the efforts of the armed forces in uprooting terrorism and said that people of Pakhtunkhwa would fight alongside army in case of any threat to the country from foreign aggressors.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286130/centre-asked-to-remove-reservations-of-pakhtuns-on-cpec
[h=2]Govt decides to strengthen district health system
[/h] PESHAWAR: The government has increased vacancies for doctors in management cadre to strengthen district health system and utilise the available resources in professional manner for the benefit of the people.
“A total of 226 new positions in the management cadre have been created to run the district health system effectively,” sources said. They said that posts of BPS-17 in management cadre were raised to 101 from the existing 26 while 96 vacancies in BPS-18 were created against the present strength of 64.
The management cadre posts in BPS-19 and BPS-20 had also been increased to provide qualified health managers as part of a long-term programme to deploy trained people at the districts.
Sources said that t government was facing an uphill task to improve patients’ care at primary and secondary health facilities despite increasing monetary benefits for doctors, paramedics and nurses. The government wanted the administrative cadre doctors to manage the system at grassroots level and trickle down benefits to people, they added.
[h=4]Number of vacancies for doctors in management cadre increased[/h]
Sources said that 2,600 new positions in general cadre were also created. The doctors would be posted in rural areas to improve clinical work at primary healthcare and provide round-the-clock services to the people, they added.
“A rural health centre will get at least eight medical officers, including lady doctors. The strength is enough to provide services to the target population if properly managed,” they said.
Sources said that government also approved posts of deputy district health officers (DDHOs) in management cadre to supervise and monitor the performance of dispensaries, basic health units and secondary level facilities properly.
Sources said that health department also required the services of trained health managers for better planning and management at the district level. Most of the district didn’t have proper health managers. Usually the doctors, who were required to perform clinical duties, indulged in managerial affairs in which they didn’t have any experience, they added.
“The authorities have also decided that doctors having MBBS with Master in Public Health (MPH) will be appointed directly in BPS-18 due to their specialty,” said sources. They added that medical graduates were appointed in BPS-17 as first appointment but they were posted as district specialists or senior medical officers in BPS-18 when they got postgraduate qualification.
Sources said that some positions like that of medical superintendent of Maulvi Ameer Shah Memorial Hospital were downgraded from BPS-20 to BPS-19 as it was a category C hospital.
DHO coordinators, alongside the office of director-general health services will also get more management positions in BPS-20 to strengthen monitoring and evaluation of the healthcare facilities.
After increase in their salaries, the general cadre doctors are now willing to be posted in far flung areas but the department requires a proper mechanism to pool the resources for making health services available to people.
Sources said that it was also discussed at the top level to introduce regional health authorities (RHAs) and run the district health facilities through independent Board of Governors on the pattern of National Health Services UK. The system grants complete autonomy to RHAs to make decisions like postings and transfers purchases, repairs and managing clinical affairs.
“Before, setting up RHAs, the government wants to strengthen district health administratively,” said sources.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286129/govt-decides-to-strengthen-district-health-system
[h=2]KP takes lead in enacting whistleblower protection law
[/h] The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Sept 19 unanimously enacted ‘The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Act, 2016,’ taking lead over the federal government as well as other three provinces in making a law on the subject.
The law is aimed at setting up a Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission (WPVC) so as to encourage citizens of the province to make public interest disclosures related to corruption and corrupt practices and to protect such citizens from disadvantageous measures.
The bill in this regard was introduced in the assembly on Oct 5, 2015 and was referred to the select committee for consideration on Nov 17, 2015. The committee was chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. The said bill was discussed by the committee and subsequently a revised bill was drafted and placed before the committee on Aug 30, 2016. The committee suggested changes to the revised bill and subsequently a final bill was referred to the assembly.
Earlier, the provincial government had enacted ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013’ to ensure transparency in the functioning of government departments. In that law the government had also included a provision regarding whistleblowers.
Section 30 of the RTI Act provides that no one may be subject to any legal, administrative or employment-related sanction, regardless of any breach of a legal or employment obligation, for releasing information or wrongdoing, or which would disclose a serious threat to health, safety or the environment, as long as they acted in good faith and in reasonable belief that the information was substantially true.
The present law defines a whistleblower as a person or an agency, who discloses the public interest information under this law.
The law envisages setting up of a WPVC comprising three commissioners to be appointed by the government for three years. The Act provides certain qualification for the commissioner, including that he or she should be a citizen of Pakistan and permanent resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; is honest and a person with good character; is minimum of 45 years of age; has a Bachelor’s degree and had at least 15 years experience in the field of law, or professional of high repute from civil society or has remained a public office-holder for at least 20 years; is not a defaulter of government dues; etc.
The said commission is empowered to initiate an inquiry on the pointation of a whistleblower against any person, department or authority and will put forward recommendations for taking appropriate action against the concerned official if the information provided by the whistleblower proved to be correct.
The WPVC shall ensure that no whistleblower is victimised by disadvantageous measures or otherwise merely on the ground that such whistleblower had made a public interest disclosure or rendered assistance in inquiry under this law. It is provided that if a whistleblower is being subjected to disadvantageous measures he may file an application before the commission seeking redress and the commission may pass an appropriate order giving direction to the authority concerned.
Experts believe that certain changes made in the initial bill and passed by the assembly had reduced the scope of this law. The bill initially introduced in the assembly provided vast information which could be considered as Public Interest Disclosure (PID).
Initially, in the bill it was provided that PID means any declaration of information by an individual or by an agency who reasonably believes that such information may prevent action that infringes or is likely to infringe the health and safety of the public, the environment, consumer interests, fair competition; or, an action that of corruption and corrupt practices; or, an action that tends to show that a criminal offence or other unlawful act has been committed or is likely to be committed; or an action that may lead to the occurrence of miscarriage of justice.
However, the select-committee removed several of the sub-sections from the initial bill and now in the law passed by the assembly PID only includes information aimed at preventing an action of corruption and corrupt practices.
The law also carries provisions related to rewards and penalties. It is provided that after inquiry, if it has been proved that a whistleblower has rightly disclosed the violation of public interest he shall be rewarded 30 per cent of the recovered amount and certificate of appreciation.
After inquiry if it has been proved that the whistleblower has lodged frivolous or mala fide complaint, he shall be liable to a fine of 30 per cent of the actual amount claimed against a person with rigorous imprisonment for a three years; provided that the amount of the fine shall be paid to the person against whom the complaint has been made.
In the initial bill, it was provided that in case of a frivolous complaint by a whistleblower he shall be liable to a fine of Rs100,000.
In the Act the punishment for frivolous or mala fide complaint is made so rigorous that it would discourage citizens from coming forward and making Public Interest Disclosure. It would be responsibility of a whistleblower to provide evidence of a wrongdoing and not that of any government agency.
The enactment of this law is in line with the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2003 and was ratified by Pakistan on Aug 31, 2007. The Convention makes it obligatory on the member states to include in its legal system measures for providing protection to the persons reporting regarding corruption.
Legal experts believe that there are already many anti-corruption bodies in the country as well as in the province and creating another commission for looking into information related to corruption and corrupt practices would further complicate the issue. Presently, the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, KP Ehtesab Commission and KP Anti-Corruption Establishment have been looking into corruption cases in the province.
Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286118/kp-takes-lead-in-enacting-whistleblower-protection-law
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
[h=2]KP legislates for free TB diagnosis, treatment
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a bill to declare tuberculosis a ‘notifiable disease’ and thus, promising free diagnosis and treatment of patients of the major infectious disease in the province.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuberculosis Notification Bill 2016 tabled by health minister Shahram Tarakai, it is expedient to declare tuberculosis a notifiable disease through registered medical practitioners, private clinics, private hospitals, registered practitioners, community leaders and in charge of a covered premises by formulating tuberculosis notifications forms through the provincial government.
It will help effectively implement tuberculosis control and prevention programme and provide free diagnostic and treatment services to tuberculosis patients.
The bill says the private sector healthcare providers frequently lack up to date expertise in the tuberculosis treatment protocols and treating TB patients in an irrational and ineffective manner and as such fails to report TB cases to district health authorities.
[h=4]Minister promises probe into ‘anomalies’ in Lakki medicine procurements[/h]
According to it, tuberculosis is spreading at a phenomenal rate making people suffer and endangering public health.
Under the passed bill, the district health officers will be bound to maintain a database of all TB-related notifications, arrange seminars and workshops in collaboration with the national and provincial programmes for public and private health practitioners, private clinics, private hospitals, community leaders and in charges of covered premises, and hold diagnosis, treatment and managements without delay upon receiving notification forms.
With Speaker Asad Qaisar in the chair, the house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tibb and Homeopathic Employees (Appointment) Bill 2016 and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faculty of Paramedical and Allied Health Sciences Bill 2016.
Earlier, JUI-F MPA Noor Saleem Khan told the house during question hour that most of the medicines and medical equipment procured during the last two years for hospitals in Lakki Marwat district were actually not provided to those health facilities.
He insisted the details provided by the health department in response to his question on the procurement of medicines and equipment in question were ‘faulty’.
The lawmaker said according to the health department’s reply, 30 electric water coolers, 15 wheelchairs and several oxygen cylinders had been provided to the rural health centre in Titterkhel area of Lakki Marwat from 2014 to date, while 50,000 painkillers, 2,500 syringes and other medicines and equipment had been purchased for the Masha Mansoor BHU during the period.
“Surprisingly, the medicines and equipment were not provided to the RHC as I learned during several visits to the centre,” he said.
The MPA said the question should be referred to the relevant house committee for discussion.
However, the health minister instead of responding to the lawmaker’s observations, said, “the (health) department has given response in detail.”
He said a team of the health department along with Noor Saleem would visit the relevant hospitals in two weeks to look into the alleged irregularity.
Noor Saleem later told Dawn that the health department had provided him with 100-page documents in response to his query.
“The medicine procurements seem to have taken place on paper only,” he said.
The speaker deferred the question for another day asking the minister to inform him about the reply in the next session.
In a question, PTI MPA Yaseen Khalil challenged the educational qualification of Mother and Neonatal Child Health provincial coordinator Dr Sahib Gul.
He insisted Dr Sahib Gul had secured MBA degree from Al-Khair University Azad Jammu and Kashmir in 2000 without taking either a leave or a mandatory NOC from the health department.
The lawmaker asked how Dr Sahib Gul completed his degree in AJK in two years during which the records showed he served in Peshawar.
He insisted the reply of the health department to his query was wrong.
Mr. Yaseen Khalil demanded that the government remove the MNCH coordinator from his current post for some days to conduct a transparent inquiry into the matter.
The health minister didn’t defend Dr Sahib Gul and asked the MPA to meet him on the matter.
The speaker deferred the question for the next day.
The health minister also struggled to respond to questions regarding the poor condition of government hospitals across the province.
In response to every question placed on the session’s agenda, he said, “the health secretary is sitting in the lobby hearing it. We will sort it out.”
PML-N MPA Raja Faisal Zaman said the health-related issues existed in every district and that problems in the health department shouldn’t be taken lightly.
He said the minister should come to the house well prepared to respond to the questions made by members.
The chair later adjourned the session until today (Tuesday).
Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286411/kp-legislates-for-free-tb-diagnosis-treatment
[h=2]CM orders changes to govt entities’ business rules
[/h] PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Tuesday directed the relevant officials to make necessary amendments to the rules of business of all public sector entities to rapidly commercialise public properties and widen the province’s resource base.
He issued the directions which chairing a marathon meeting here at the Chief Minister’s House on the commercialisation of public properties, high-rise buildings and widening of fiscal space of the province.
The participants discussed the properties of different public sector institutions and explored ways to formally commercialise them.
They also discussed the additional resource generation and made a number of decisions.
The CM said the rules of business should not be seen as an obstacle to the whole process of commercialisation of public sector properties and resource generation mechanism.
He said amendments should be made to those rules if they’re a hurdle to the smooth process of commercialisation and resource generation mechanism.
Mr. Khattak said each department should immediately work out its plan of commercialisation. He said his government could not afford to waste time and that he understood the yawning gap between the public and private sector performance and dynamism.
The CM asked participants to develop a professional approach and even hire professionals if needed for the commercialisation of public property.
He also directed the administration department to transfer 20 kanals of its land in Dabgari Garden area for the Rapid Bus Transit Project and asked the administration and transport secretaries and PDA director general to finalise modalities to make the land part of the proposed transport service.
Mr. Khattak said his government had given a plan and the department concerned should formulate the ‘forward looking’ for the commercialisation process.
He said the approach should be replicated in all districts, where public property was available but needed to be developed along commercial lines.
The CM ordered the disposal of the land owned by the province in Punjab’s Bhakkar area.
He said he had set targets for all departments to increase earnings and widen fiscal space and therefore, necessary steps should be taken to achieve them without delay.
“Our province needs development. My government won’t look to others for financial help and therefore, there should be an approach for the stronger and sustainable resource base so that the province could stand on its own two feet,” he said.
Also in the meeting, the CM was briefed about the vast commercial land of different departments and possible increase in their value through commercialisation to generate revenue for the province.
Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016
[h=2]
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286585/cm-orders-changes-to-govt-entities-business-rules
[/h][h=2]RTI Commission without top boss for over a month
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has failed to appoint the chief information commissioner to the provincial Right to Information Commission even one and a half months after the post fell vacant due to the retirement of Sahibzada Khalid.
Mr. Khalid, the first CIC, had retired on August 17 after completing his three years tenure.
An official in the know insisted the delay in the appointment of the CIC reflected the waning interest of the government in the cause of the transparency in its affairs.
“The government is no longer enthusiastic about the RTI,” he said.
[h=4]Official insists govt no more interested in the cause of transparency in its affairs[/h]
The official said one of the two information commissioners, Abdul Mateen, would retire on Oct 27, 2016.
However, officials in the information department told Dawn that they had sent three names to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to pick the next CIC from.
“We sent three names earlier on August 31 to the chief minister,” an official said.
He said among those shortlisted by the establishment department were Azmat Hanif Orakzai, Syed Badshah Bukhari and Shah Sahib.
The official said Mr. Orakzai was a retired bureaucrat currently serving as the chief of the Right to Service Commission (RTS) KP, while Mr. Bukhari, too, was a retired bureaucrat, whose last position was the provincial finance secretary’s.
Shah Sahib is also a retired bureaucrat, who has served as the Fata finance secretary.
The official said Mr. Shah was recently appointed RTS commissioner and therefore, he was unlikely to be considered for this post.
However, another official said the name of another retired bureaucrat Khalid Hussain had also been included in the list.
He said Mr. Hanif was a strong contender for the post, as he was the information secretary when the KP Right to Information Act was being drafted.
Mohammad Anwar, executive director non-governmental Center for Governance and Public Accountability, told Dawn that they had written a letter to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak asking him to set up a bipartisan panel consisting of lawmakers from treasury and opposition benches from provincial assembly to appoint CIC, but the government didn’t even bother to respond.
He said the Right to Information Act 2013 was currently silent about appointment of the CIC and therefore, in case the government didn’t fill the position, it would not be illegal.
Mr. Anwar said the appointment of the first CIC was time bound under the law but there was no provision in the law for the appointment of the next one.
He said an amendment bill providing a timeline for appointment of CIC and commissioners had been pending with the law department for several months.
The draft amendment bill proposes insertion of sub-section (10) in Section 24 providing that the information commission shall initiate a case for filling the expected vacancy due to retirement of an Information Commissioner or CIC, as the case may be, 120 days before the due date and send it to the government which shall fill the vacancy within 30 days of occurrence of this slot.
“If the government desires, it could kill the law without doing anything,” Mr. Anwar said, adding that appointment of the new CIC would have great bearing on the functioning of the commission.
He said if the government appointed some blue-eyed person, it would not bode well with the commission’s future.
The CGPA chief said the law was a feather in the cap of the PTI government but the government showed weakness in its implementation.
“The KP Assembly was exempted from the ambit of the law some times after it was passed but it was reversed over much public criticism,” he said.
Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287076/rti-commission-without-top-boss-for-over-a-month
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a bill to declare tuberculosis a ‘notifiable disease’ and thus, promising free diagnosis and treatment of patients of the major infectious disease in the province.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuberculosis Notification Bill 2016 tabled by health minister Shahram Tarakai, it is expedient to declare tuberculosis a notifiable disease through registered medical practitioners, private clinics, private hospitals, registered practitioners, community leaders and in charge of a covered premises by formulating tuberculosis notifications forms through the provincial government.
It will help effectively implement tuberculosis control and prevention programme and provide free diagnostic and treatment services to tuberculosis patients.
The bill says the private sector healthcare providers frequently lack up to date expertise in the tuberculosis treatment protocols and treating TB patients in an irrational and ineffective manner and as such fails to report TB cases to district health authorities.
[h=4]Minister promises probe into ‘anomalies’ in Lakki medicine procurements[/h]
According to it, tuberculosis is spreading at a phenomenal rate making people suffer and endangering public health.
Under the passed bill, the district health officers will be bound to maintain a database of all TB-related notifications, arrange seminars and workshops in collaboration with the national and provincial programmes for public and private health practitioners, private clinics, private hospitals, community leaders and in charges of covered premises, and hold diagnosis, treatment and managements without delay upon receiving notification forms.
With Speaker Asad Qaisar in the chair, the house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tibb and Homeopathic Employees (Appointment) Bill 2016 and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faculty of Paramedical and Allied Health Sciences Bill 2016.
Earlier, JUI-F MPA Noor Saleem Khan told the house during question hour that most of the medicines and medical equipment procured during the last two years for hospitals in Lakki Marwat district were actually not provided to those health facilities.
He insisted the details provided by the health department in response to his question on the procurement of medicines and equipment in question were ‘faulty’.
The lawmaker said according to the health department’s reply, 30 electric water coolers, 15 wheelchairs and several oxygen cylinders had been provided to the rural health centre in Titterkhel area of Lakki Marwat from 2014 to date, while 50,000 painkillers, 2,500 syringes and other medicines and equipment had been purchased for the Masha Mansoor BHU during the period.
“Surprisingly, the medicines and equipment were not provided to the RHC as I learned during several visits to the centre,” he said.
The MPA said the question should be referred to the relevant house committee for discussion.
However, the health minister instead of responding to the lawmaker’s observations, said, “the (health) department has given response in detail.”
He said a team of the health department along with Noor Saleem would visit the relevant hospitals in two weeks to look into the alleged irregularity.
Noor Saleem later told Dawn that the health department had provided him with 100-page documents in response to his query.
“The medicine procurements seem to have taken place on paper only,” he said.
The speaker deferred the question for another day asking the minister to inform him about the reply in the next session.
In a question, PTI MPA Yaseen Khalil challenged the educational qualification of Mother and Neonatal Child Health provincial coordinator Dr Sahib Gul.
He insisted Dr Sahib Gul had secured MBA degree from Al-Khair University Azad Jammu and Kashmir in 2000 without taking either a leave or a mandatory NOC from the health department.
The lawmaker asked how Dr Sahib Gul completed his degree in AJK in two years during which the records showed he served in Peshawar.
He insisted the reply of the health department to his query was wrong.
Mr. Yaseen Khalil demanded that the government remove the MNCH coordinator from his current post for some days to conduct a transparent inquiry into the matter.
The health minister didn’t defend Dr Sahib Gul and asked the MPA to meet him on the matter.
The speaker deferred the question for the next day.
The health minister also struggled to respond to questions regarding the poor condition of government hospitals across the province.
In response to every question placed on the session’s agenda, he said, “the health secretary is sitting in the lobby hearing it. We will sort it out.”
PML-N MPA Raja Faisal Zaman said the health-related issues existed in every district and that problems in the health department shouldn’t be taken lightly.
He said the minister should come to the house well prepared to respond to the questions made by members.
The chair later adjourned the session until today (Tuesday).
Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286411/kp-legislates-for-free-tb-diagnosis-treatment
[h=2]CM orders changes to govt entities’ business rules
[/h] PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Tuesday directed the relevant officials to make necessary amendments to the rules of business of all public sector entities to rapidly commercialise public properties and widen the province’s resource base.
He issued the directions which chairing a marathon meeting here at the Chief Minister’s House on the commercialisation of public properties, high-rise buildings and widening of fiscal space of the province.
The participants discussed the properties of different public sector institutions and explored ways to formally commercialise them.
They also discussed the additional resource generation and made a number of decisions.
The CM said the rules of business should not be seen as an obstacle to the whole process of commercialisation of public sector properties and resource generation mechanism.
He said amendments should be made to those rules if they’re a hurdle to the smooth process of commercialisation and resource generation mechanism.
Mr. Khattak said each department should immediately work out its plan of commercialisation. He said his government could not afford to waste time and that he understood the yawning gap between the public and private sector performance and dynamism.
The CM asked participants to develop a professional approach and even hire professionals if needed for the commercialisation of public property.
He also directed the administration department to transfer 20 kanals of its land in Dabgari Garden area for the Rapid Bus Transit Project and asked the administration and transport secretaries and PDA director general to finalise modalities to make the land part of the proposed transport service.
Mr. Khattak said his government had given a plan and the department concerned should formulate the ‘forward looking’ for the commercialisation process.
He said the approach should be replicated in all districts, where public property was available but needed to be developed along commercial lines.
The CM ordered the disposal of the land owned by the province in Punjab’s Bhakkar area.
He said he had set targets for all departments to increase earnings and widen fiscal space and therefore, necessary steps should be taken to achieve them without delay.
“Our province needs development. My government won’t look to others for financial help and therefore, there should be an approach for the stronger and sustainable resource base so that the province could stand on its own two feet,” he said.
Also in the meeting, the CM was briefed about the vast commercial land of different departments and possible increase in their value through commercialisation to generate revenue for the province.
Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016
[h=2]
http://www.dawn.com/news/1286585/cm-orders-changes-to-govt-entities-business-rules
[/h][h=2]RTI Commission without top boss for over a month
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has failed to appoint the chief information commissioner to the provincial Right to Information Commission even one and a half months after the post fell vacant due to the retirement of Sahibzada Khalid.
Mr. Khalid, the first CIC, had retired on August 17 after completing his three years tenure.
An official in the know insisted the delay in the appointment of the CIC reflected the waning interest of the government in the cause of the transparency in its affairs.
“The government is no longer enthusiastic about the RTI,” he said.
[h=4]Official insists govt no more interested in the cause of transparency in its affairs[/h]
The official said one of the two information commissioners, Abdul Mateen, would retire on Oct 27, 2016.
However, officials in the information department told Dawn that they had sent three names to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to pick the next CIC from.
“We sent three names earlier on August 31 to the chief minister,” an official said.
He said among those shortlisted by the establishment department were Azmat Hanif Orakzai, Syed Badshah Bukhari and Shah Sahib.
The official said Mr. Orakzai was a retired bureaucrat currently serving as the chief of the Right to Service Commission (RTS) KP, while Mr. Bukhari, too, was a retired bureaucrat, whose last position was the provincial finance secretary’s.
Shah Sahib is also a retired bureaucrat, who has served as the Fata finance secretary.
The official said Mr. Shah was recently appointed RTS commissioner and therefore, he was unlikely to be considered for this post.
However, another official said the name of another retired bureaucrat Khalid Hussain had also been included in the list.
He said Mr. Hanif was a strong contender for the post, as he was the information secretary when the KP Right to Information Act was being drafted.
Mohammad Anwar, executive director non-governmental Center for Governance and Public Accountability, told Dawn that they had written a letter to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak asking him to set up a bipartisan panel consisting of lawmakers from treasury and opposition benches from provincial assembly to appoint CIC, but the government didn’t even bother to respond.
He said the Right to Information Act 2013 was currently silent about appointment of the CIC and therefore, in case the government didn’t fill the position, it would not be illegal.
Mr. Anwar said the appointment of the first CIC was time bound under the law but there was no provision in the law for the appointment of the next one.
He said an amendment bill providing a timeline for appointment of CIC and commissioners had been pending with the law department for several months.
The draft amendment bill proposes insertion of sub-section (10) in Section 24 providing that the information commission shall initiate a case for filling the expected vacancy due to retirement of an Information Commissioner or CIC, as the case may be, 120 days before the due date and send it to the government which shall fill the vacancy within 30 days of occurrence of this slot.
“If the government desires, it could kill the law without doing anything,” Mr. Anwar said, adding that appointment of the new CIC would have great bearing on the functioning of the commission.
He said if the government appointed some blue-eyed person, it would not bode well with the commission’s future.
The CGPA chief said the law was a feather in the cap of the PTI government but the government showed weakness in its implementation.
“The KP Assembly was exempted from the ambit of the law some times after it was passed but it was reversed over much public criticism,” he said.
Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287076/rti-commission-without-top-boss-for-over-a-month
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
[h=2]Right to Information Commission gets new head
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has appointed Azmat Hanif Orkazai as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission for a period of three years.
A notification issued here on Friday said that the competent authority was pleased to appoint Azamat Hanif Orakzai, retired PAS officer of BS-22, as the CIC to the KP Right to the Information Commission with immediate effect.
It said that the new CIC would hold office for a period of three years from the date when he enters office or till he attains the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
The seat fell vacant on Aug 17 after KP’s first CIC Sahibzada Khalid completed his tenure.
in Dawn, October 1st, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287305/right-to-information-commission-gets-new-head
[h=2]IGP visits Elite Police Training School
ESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani on Saturday visited the Elite Police Training School here to inaugurate the new training facilities and hand over modern technological tools to the Special Combat Unit (SCU) of the Elite Force. [/h]A statement issued here said the IGP also inaugurated the new operations room at the school. Commandant of the School Colonel (R) Sanaullah Khan briefed the IGP about the new technological equipment provided to the SCU to improve their technical capacity to combat terrorism in an effective manner.
Later, the IGP addressed the jawans of SCU, Elite Force and their instructors. He appreciated the extraordinary valour and courage of the Elite jawans in difficult times. The IGP impressed upon the jawans to focus on their continuous professional development and enhanced tactical gadgetries skills to counter the terrorism threat.
Published in Dawn October 2nd, 2016
[h=2]VIEW FROM THE COURTROOM: After much delay, anti-smoking bill tabled in PA[/h] Following years of delay the provincial government tabled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly a bill for prohibiting smoking and other tobacco use at public places and public transport vehicles. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Tobacco and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Bill, 2016, which was tabled in the Assembly on Sept 26, is almost replica of the Prohibition of Smoking in Enclosed Places and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, the federal law on the subject promulgated during the military government of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
After enactment of the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010, in 2010, health had become a provincial subject and the provinces have to enact their separate laws on the devolved subjects.
The proposed law also includes a provision which mentions that the federal law of 2002 as well as the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance, 1959, and the West Pakistan Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses Ordinance, 1960, would stand repealed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Like the federal law the proposed law mentions several places to be considered as public places for the purpose of this law. The Bill defines “public place” as: “any place declared as such under Section 3 and includes auditoriums, public buildings, health institutions, amusement centres, restaurants, public offices, court buildings, cinema halls, conference or seminar halls, eating houses, hotel lounges, other waiting lounges, libraries, bus stations or stands, sports stadiums, educational institutions, play grounds, public parks and the like which are visited by general public and includes rooftops, lawns, lobbies, etc. of the premises.”
The federal law does not include any open space as public place. However, subsequent notifications and rules framed by the government and rulings given by different courts narrowed down the definition of an “open space.”
Similarly, like the federal law in the proposed provincial law a very vast definition of advertisement of tobacco products has been given.
The bill defines “advertisement” as: “any notice, circular, wallpaper, pamphlet, display on any board or hoarding, through internet, or any visible representation made by any form of media whether mechanical, electronic, audio, visual or any other technological means of any light, sound, smoke, gas, writing instruments, stickers, symbol, colour, logo, trademarks, display on articles like T-shirts, shoes, sportswear, sports gears, caps, carry bags, telephone booths or by any other mean, direct or indirect, which have the effect of promoting smoking and other tobacco use and the expression ‘advertise’ shall be construed accordingly.”
Furthermore, under Section 7 of the proposed law no person or company shall advertise tobacco on any media or any public place and any public service vehicle. Like the federal law the proposed provincial law also prohibits sale of tobacco products to any person below the age of 18 years.
While the federal law prohibits the storage, selling or distribution of cigarettes or any such smoking substance within an area of 50 metres from any college, school or educational institutions, the KP proposed law has enhanced that distance to 100 meters.
Section 4 of the federal law provides that the federal government may authorize one or more persons who shall be competent to act under that ordinance. In line with that provision the then ministry of health issued an SRO NO 654/ (1)/ 2003 on July 3, 2003 through which different categories of persons were empowered to act under that Ordinance and to check violation of different provisions of that law.
Those persons authorized by the government included: all MNAs, senators, members of provincial assemblies; all district, tehsil and union council nazims, deputy nazims and councillors; all officers in BPS-20 and above in the places under their jurisdiction; all police officers of the rank of sub-inspector and above; heads of educational institutions; public transport vehicles’ drivers and conductors; train drivers, conductors and guards; managers of airports lounges, waiting rooms at railway stations and bus stops; all crew members aboard a plane; heads of hospitals and other health care establishments; managers of restaurants, entertainment houses including cinemas, theatres, studios of TV, radio, etc; and managers of establishments where services are provided to the public whether for a charge or free.
Through another SRO issued on March 29, 2011 the federal government made certain changes in the earlier categories and the authorized police officer was reduced from the rank of a sub-inspector to that of an assistant sub-inspector.
The proposed KP law envisages penalties for different offences. Persons found involved in using tobacco in any public place and public service vehicle shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs1,000 and in case of repetition of the same offence, shall be punishable with a fine up to Rs10,000. Same penalty shall be imposed on owner or manager or in-charge of the affairs of every public place or public service vehicle if he fails to display a board carrying message of “No Smoking Zone” and that “Smoking is an offence.”
Furthermore, the bill provides penalties for offences, including advertisement for promotion of tobacco; sale of tobacco products to juveniles; and sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institution. Such offences are punishable with up to Rs5,000 fine and in case of repetition of same offence, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to three months, or with a fine which shall not be over Rs2,000.
A diversion made by the provincial government from the federal law is that it has proposed in the bill that no person shall use tobacco in any public place and there shall be no designated area for using tobacco in any public place. Under the federal law, the federal government could issue guidelines for permitting designated smoking areas in premises or places.
Experts on the subject believe that the provincial government has also to enact a provincial law related to printing of warnings on cigarette packs on the pattern of a federal law, Cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance, 1979.
They believe that the bill tabled in the assembly should be put to public debate especially to the health experts so that it could be improved.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287696/vi...ter-much-delay-anti-smoking-bill-tabled-in-pa
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has appointed Azmat Hanif Orkazai as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission for a period of three years.
A notification issued here on Friday said that the competent authority was pleased to appoint Azamat Hanif Orakzai, retired PAS officer of BS-22, as the CIC to the KP Right to the Information Commission with immediate effect.
It said that the new CIC would hold office for a period of three years from the date when he enters office or till he attains the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
The seat fell vacant on Aug 17 after KP’s first CIC Sahibzada Khalid completed his tenure.
in Dawn, October 1st, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287305/right-to-information-commission-gets-new-head
[h=2]IGP visits Elite Police Training School
ESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani on Saturday visited the Elite Police Training School here to inaugurate the new training facilities and hand over modern technological tools to the Special Combat Unit (SCU) of the Elite Force. [/h]A statement issued here said the IGP also inaugurated the new operations room at the school. Commandant of the School Colonel (R) Sanaullah Khan briefed the IGP about the new technological equipment provided to the SCU to improve their technical capacity to combat terrorism in an effective manner.
Later, the IGP addressed the jawans of SCU, Elite Force and their instructors. He appreciated the extraordinary valour and courage of the Elite jawans in difficult times. The IGP impressed upon the jawans to focus on their continuous professional development and enhanced tactical gadgetries skills to counter the terrorism threat.
Published in Dawn October 2nd, 2016
[h=2]VIEW FROM THE COURTROOM: After much delay, anti-smoking bill tabled in PA[/h] Following years of delay the provincial government tabled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly a bill for prohibiting smoking and other tobacco use at public places and public transport vehicles. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Tobacco and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Bill, 2016, which was tabled in the Assembly on Sept 26, is almost replica of the Prohibition of Smoking in Enclosed Places and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, the federal law on the subject promulgated during the military government of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
After enactment of the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010, in 2010, health had become a provincial subject and the provinces have to enact their separate laws on the devolved subjects.
The proposed law also includes a provision which mentions that the federal law of 2002 as well as the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance, 1959, and the West Pakistan Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses Ordinance, 1960, would stand repealed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Like the federal law the proposed law mentions several places to be considered as public places for the purpose of this law. The Bill defines “public place” as: “any place declared as such under Section 3 and includes auditoriums, public buildings, health institutions, amusement centres, restaurants, public offices, court buildings, cinema halls, conference or seminar halls, eating houses, hotel lounges, other waiting lounges, libraries, bus stations or stands, sports stadiums, educational institutions, play grounds, public parks and the like which are visited by general public and includes rooftops, lawns, lobbies, etc. of the premises.”
The federal law does not include any open space as public place. However, subsequent notifications and rules framed by the government and rulings given by different courts narrowed down the definition of an “open space.”
Similarly, like the federal law in the proposed provincial law a very vast definition of advertisement of tobacco products has been given.
The bill defines “advertisement” as: “any notice, circular, wallpaper, pamphlet, display on any board or hoarding, through internet, or any visible representation made by any form of media whether mechanical, electronic, audio, visual or any other technological means of any light, sound, smoke, gas, writing instruments, stickers, symbol, colour, logo, trademarks, display on articles like T-shirts, shoes, sportswear, sports gears, caps, carry bags, telephone booths or by any other mean, direct or indirect, which have the effect of promoting smoking and other tobacco use and the expression ‘advertise’ shall be construed accordingly.”
Furthermore, under Section 7 of the proposed law no person or company shall advertise tobacco on any media or any public place and any public service vehicle. Like the federal law the proposed provincial law also prohibits sale of tobacco products to any person below the age of 18 years.
While the federal law prohibits the storage, selling or distribution of cigarettes or any such smoking substance within an area of 50 metres from any college, school or educational institutions, the KP proposed law has enhanced that distance to 100 meters.
Section 4 of the federal law provides that the federal government may authorize one or more persons who shall be competent to act under that ordinance. In line with that provision the then ministry of health issued an SRO NO 654/ (1)/ 2003 on July 3, 2003 through which different categories of persons were empowered to act under that Ordinance and to check violation of different provisions of that law.
Those persons authorized by the government included: all MNAs, senators, members of provincial assemblies; all district, tehsil and union council nazims, deputy nazims and councillors; all officers in BPS-20 and above in the places under their jurisdiction; all police officers of the rank of sub-inspector and above; heads of educational institutions; public transport vehicles’ drivers and conductors; train drivers, conductors and guards; managers of airports lounges, waiting rooms at railway stations and bus stops; all crew members aboard a plane; heads of hospitals and other health care establishments; managers of restaurants, entertainment houses including cinemas, theatres, studios of TV, radio, etc; and managers of establishments where services are provided to the public whether for a charge or free.
Through another SRO issued on March 29, 2011 the federal government made certain changes in the earlier categories and the authorized police officer was reduced from the rank of a sub-inspector to that of an assistant sub-inspector.
The proposed KP law envisages penalties for different offences. Persons found involved in using tobacco in any public place and public service vehicle shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs1,000 and in case of repetition of the same offence, shall be punishable with a fine up to Rs10,000. Same penalty shall be imposed on owner or manager or in-charge of the affairs of every public place or public service vehicle if he fails to display a board carrying message of “No Smoking Zone” and that “Smoking is an offence.”
Furthermore, the bill provides penalties for offences, including advertisement for promotion of tobacco; sale of tobacco products to juveniles; and sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institution. Such offences are punishable with up to Rs5,000 fine and in case of repetition of same offence, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend up to three months, or with a fine which shall not be over Rs2,000.
A diversion made by the provincial government from the federal law is that it has proposed in the bill that no person shall use tobacco in any public place and there shall be no designated area for using tobacco in any public place. Under the federal law, the federal government could issue guidelines for permitting designated smoking areas in premises or places.
Experts on the subject believe that the provincial government has also to enact a provincial law related to printing of warnings on cigarette packs on the pattern of a federal law, Cigarettes (Printing of Warning) Ordinance, 1979.
They believe that the bill tabled in the assembly should be put to public debate especially to the health experts so that it could be improved.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1287696/vi...ter-much-delay-anti-smoking-bill-tabled-in-pa
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
yasirashraf271
Senator (1k+ posts)
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
OCTOBER 05 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
OCT 06 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Oct 07 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
[h=2]PA asks centre to honour promise on CPEC
[/h] PESHAWAR: The members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday lashed out at federal government for not honouring its commitment made in the all-party conference about initiating work on western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The members of the treasury and opposition benches were united in asking the federal government to immediately launch work on western route of CPEC otherwise they could go to any extent for it.
The lawmakers were angry as ambassador of China to Pakistan conveyed to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak a few days ago that there was no western route in CPEC. Senior Minister Inayatullah Khan was the first to draw the attention of the house towards the statement of Chinese ambassador that also appeared in a few newspapers.
“It is injustice with people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to exclude the western route from CPEC,” he said while speaking on a point of order. On his request, Speaker Asad Qaiser, who was chairing the session, put off the agenda fixed for the day and allowed the house to debate the new development regarding CPEC.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal had assured political leaderships in the APC that western route would be part of CPEC but the fresh revelation was shocking, said the senior minister.
[h=4]Lawmakers threaten to go to any extent for start of work on western route[/h]
He said that although federal government was assuring the provincial government repeatedly that western route was part of CPEC but the statement of Chinese ambassador was an eye opener for everyone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The senior minister said that such tactics of federal government would weak federating units. “We cannot remain silent anymore on this issue,” he added. He said when people showed concerns over the CPEC, the federal government dubbed them as lobby of India.
PPP parliamentary leader Mohammad Ali Shah said that it was astonishing to know that western route was not part of CPEC despite passage of several unanimous resolutions by that august house.
“PTI has staged sit-in and rallies in various parts of the country for political gains. If it also launches such a movement to have share in CPEC, PPP would fully support the provincial government,” he added.
Bakht Baidar Khan of Qaumi Watan Party said that Punjab was pushing Pakhtuns against the wall. “Pakhtuns have never raised anti-Pakistan slogans and neither degraded its flag but despite that Punjab is deliberately depriving them of their rights,” he added. The QWP leader said that federal government should wisely handle the issue and avoid creating such a situation that could cause division of the nation.
Mufti Syed Janan of JUI-F said that Pakhtuns rendered sacrifices for Pakistan. Recently when tension between Pakistan and India escalated, Pakhtuns were ready to fight alongside army, he said. “But unfortunately Pakhtuns have never been awarded their due rights,” he added. He also criticised provincial government for ‘wasting’ time in staging rallies against the prime minister instead of fighting for the rights of the province.
Shaukat Yousafzai of PTI said that sense of deprivation among small provinces was increasing owing to discriminatory attitude of the federal government. “This is a clear message of Punjab for other provinces that things only it wants would take place,” he said.
Mr Yousafzai said that chief minister was thinking to have a consultation with parliamentary leaders of other political parties to decide whether they should remain on roads or in the assembly.
PML-N lawmaker Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha said that most of the lawmakers from the treasury benches were absent from the house when such an important issue was being discussed. “It shows seriousness of PTI in CPEC,” he said. He assured the house that PML-N members would support the provincial government in the struggle for its share in CPEC.
Fazl Ilahi, Malik Qasim Khattak and Qalandar Lodhi of PTI; Raja Faisal Zaman of PML-N and JUI-F lawmaker Zareen Gul also spoke on the issue. The chair adjourned the session until Wednesday.
Published in Dawn October 5th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1288081/pa-asks-centre-to-honour-promise-on-cpec
[h=2]Ex-PTI minister Ziaullah gets bail
[/h] PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Tuesday granted bail to former provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi, who was arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission around 15 months ago on multiple charges of corrupt practices in the mines and mineral department.
Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan asked Mr. Afridi, the petitioner, to furnish two surety bonds valuing Rs2 million each for release.
Mr. Afridi, who was elected MPA on the ticket of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf from Peshawar, was arrested by the KPEC on July 9, 2015, initially on charge of facilitating illegal mining in the province during the stint first as the special assistant to the chief minister on mines and mineral development and then minister of the same department.
Later, the KPEC registered three more cases related to the same department against him.
Shumail Ahmad Butt, lawyer for the petitioner, said after becoming the minister, his client had reformed the mines and mineral development department and had the first mineral policy of the province in 2014 to his credit.
He said his client had dealt with At last, former PTI minister gets bail illegal miners strictly as during his tenure, over 497 matters of illegal mining were reported to the police and 205 FIRs were registered and thus, upsetting perpetrators of illegal mining, and their supporters and facilitators.
The lawyer said because of his closeness to the ruling party’s central leadership and unwavering stand against illegal mining, some of the province’s ‘political bosses’ began perceiving him as a potential threat for themselves.
He claimed that in order to neutralise him as a political threat and to forestall possible legal action due to their involvement in illegal mining, a conspiracy was hatched against the petitioner on absolutely flimsy charges.
The lawyer claimed that the KPEC while allowing itself to be used as a tool, unlawfully arrested the petitioner in July 2015 on the charge of causing loss to the exchequer by illegal mining.
He added that on Aug 5, 2015, the KPEC served another ground of arrest on the petitioner by accusing him of using his influence on a mining committee to favour the renewal of a person’s chromite mines licence.
Mr. Butt said the commission later served another ground of arrest on the petitioner related to facilitating alleged illegal mining of Phosphate in Abbottabad. He added that the petitioner was also investigated in another matter pertaining to appointments of some class IV employees.
He said during the prolonged period of his incarceration as an under-trial prisoner, the KPEC had filed four references against the petitioner in the Court of Judge, Ehtesab Court No. 1, Peshawar.
The lawyer said in the references so far filed against the petitioner, the respondents had provided long lists of over 100 witnesses which were to be examined by the prosecution.
He said despite the passage of almost 15 months since his arrest, his client hadn’t been formally charged even in a single reference and that there was no likelihood of the conclusion of trial in foreseeable future.
Mr. Butt said the co-accused in four references in question had already been released by the court on bail and therefore, the petitioner was also entitled to bail on the basis of the principle of consistency.
A KPEC prosecutor present in the court opposed the release of the petitioner on bail saying enough evidence of his corrupt practices was available on record.
He added that the petitioner was the prime accused in the four corruption cases.
Published in Dawn October 5th, 2016
[h=2]Teachers get cash prize for performing well
[/h] PESHAWAR: The provincial government made World Teachers’ Day special for teachers of high and higher secondary schools by awarding cash prizes to them for their good performance.
Under the Teachers Incentive Programme (TIP), about 1,900 head teachers and subject teachers of some 240 top performing schools were given Rs100,000 and Rs50,000 respectively at a ceremony held at Chief Minister’s House here on Wednesday.
“It is not the money but the gesture that counts,” said Sabira Hussain from Government High School Malakand. She said that such gestures encouraged teachers to continue doing their best.
[h=4]Imran stresses need for character building of students[/h]
Sabira, who was content like her name, said that an appreciation certificate of “best teacher” given to her for her 28 years service was enough. “It is like a toffee for us,” smiled Ms Hussain, adding that like a child was motivated by parents to do something good by offering him a candy, the teachers, who were already getting paid, felt that the cash prize was a candy that made them happy.
Mehnaz, a teacher at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Panyala in Dera Ismail Khan, said that in the past teachers were never encouraged like that. The government had always been ignoring teachers in all kinds of schemes but in her entire career it was the first time that a teacher was rewarded with cash prize for showing good performance.
Imran Khan, the chief of the ruling party in the province, gave away cheques to the teachers after delivering a speech on how important it was for the PTI government to bring reforms in education and health sectors.
He said that it was prime responsibility of the government to provide education, health and justice to people. He said that teachers made nations and built their character. Recalling his mother’s advice, Mr Khan requested the teachers to teach children at schools to speak the truth and make them human beings having good character.
The teachers, who had perhaps seen PTI chairman first time talk live, also kept making his videos on the mobile phones and taking his pictures.
“It is a revolutionary step, which has made teaching community very happy,” said Nasira Zainab, a teacher at Government Saheed Baqir Ali Khan Higher Secondary School, Hangu. She said that in the past teachers were not promoted easily.
Under the TIP, financial incentive to the teachers of 240 government high and higher secondary schools in all the districts would be provided. The teachers, the beneficiaries of the programme, appreciated the step but political observers say the move could also have an impact on next general elections. It is pertinent to mention that teachers of government schools perform as polling staff usually during general elections.
Provincial Minister for Education Atif Khan claimed that it was for the first time in the history of the province that teachers were given cash prizes for their good performance.
He said that last year Rs50 million were allocated for TIP but in the current year the amount was doubled to Rs110 million as the number of schools showing good performance was increased.
The minister said that imparting training to some 83,000 teachers by institutions like British Council would help them to get international teaching certificate.
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2016
[h=2]
[/h]
[/h] PESHAWAR: The members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday lashed out at federal government for not honouring its commitment made in the all-party conference about initiating work on western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The members of the treasury and opposition benches were united in asking the federal government to immediately launch work on western route of CPEC otherwise they could go to any extent for it.
The lawmakers were angry as ambassador of China to Pakistan conveyed to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak a few days ago that there was no western route in CPEC. Senior Minister Inayatullah Khan was the first to draw the attention of the house towards the statement of Chinese ambassador that also appeared in a few newspapers.
“It is injustice with people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to exclude the western route from CPEC,” he said while speaking on a point of order. On his request, Speaker Asad Qaiser, who was chairing the session, put off the agenda fixed for the day and allowed the house to debate the new development regarding CPEC.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal had assured political leaderships in the APC that western route would be part of CPEC but the fresh revelation was shocking, said the senior minister.
[h=4]Lawmakers threaten to go to any extent for start of work on western route[/h]
He said that although federal government was assuring the provincial government repeatedly that western route was part of CPEC but the statement of Chinese ambassador was an eye opener for everyone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The senior minister said that such tactics of federal government would weak federating units. “We cannot remain silent anymore on this issue,” he added. He said when people showed concerns over the CPEC, the federal government dubbed them as lobby of India.
PPP parliamentary leader Mohammad Ali Shah said that it was astonishing to know that western route was not part of CPEC despite passage of several unanimous resolutions by that august house.
“PTI has staged sit-in and rallies in various parts of the country for political gains. If it also launches such a movement to have share in CPEC, PPP would fully support the provincial government,” he added.
Bakht Baidar Khan of Qaumi Watan Party said that Punjab was pushing Pakhtuns against the wall. “Pakhtuns have never raised anti-Pakistan slogans and neither degraded its flag but despite that Punjab is deliberately depriving them of their rights,” he added. The QWP leader said that federal government should wisely handle the issue and avoid creating such a situation that could cause division of the nation.
Mufti Syed Janan of JUI-F said that Pakhtuns rendered sacrifices for Pakistan. Recently when tension between Pakistan and India escalated, Pakhtuns were ready to fight alongside army, he said. “But unfortunately Pakhtuns have never been awarded their due rights,” he added. He also criticised provincial government for ‘wasting’ time in staging rallies against the prime minister instead of fighting for the rights of the province.
Shaukat Yousafzai of PTI said that sense of deprivation among small provinces was increasing owing to discriminatory attitude of the federal government. “This is a clear message of Punjab for other provinces that things only it wants would take place,” he said.
Mr Yousafzai said that chief minister was thinking to have a consultation with parliamentary leaders of other political parties to decide whether they should remain on roads or in the assembly.
PML-N lawmaker Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha said that most of the lawmakers from the treasury benches were absent from the house when such an important issue was being discussed. “It shows seriousness of PTI in CPEC,” he said. He assured the house that PML-N members would support the provincial government in the struggle for its share in CPEC.
Fazl Ilahi, Malik Qasim Khattak and Qalandar Lodhi of PTI; Raja Faisal Zaman of PML-N and JUI-F lawmaker Zareen Gul also spoke on the issue. The chair adjourned the session until Wednesday.
Published in Dawn October 5th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1288081/pa-asks-centre-to-honour-promise-on-cpec
[h=2]Ex-PTI minister Ziaullah gets bail
[/h] PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Tuesday granted bail to former provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi, who was arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission around 15 months ago on multiple charges of corrupt practices in the mines and mineral department.
Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan asked Mr. Afridi, the petitioner, to furnish two surety bonds valuing Rs2 million each for release.
Mr. Afridi, who was elected MPA on the ticket of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf from Peshawar, was arrested by the KPEC on July 9, 2015, initially on charge of facilitating illegal mining in the province during the stint first as the special assistant to the chief minister on mines and mineral development and then minister of the same department.
Later, the KPEC registered three more cases related to the same department against him.
Shumail Ahmad Butt, lawyer for the petitioner, said after becoming the minister, his client had reformed the mines and mineral development department and had the first mineral policy of the province in 2014 to his credit.
He said his client had dealt with At last, former PTI minister gets bail illegal miners strictly as during his tenure, over 497 matters of illegal mining were reported to the police and 205 FIRs were registered and thus, upsetting perpetrators of illegal mining, and their supporters and facilitators.
The lawyer said because of his closeness to the ruling party’s central leadership and unwavering stand against illegal mining, some of the province’s ‘political bosses’ began perceiving him as a potential threat for themselves.
He claimed that in order to neutralise him as a political threat and to forestall possible legal action due to their involvement in illegal mining, a conspiracy was hatched against the petitioner on absolutely flimsy charges.
The lawyer claimed that the KPEC while allowing itself to be used as a tool, unlawfully arrested the petitioner in July 2015 on the charge of causing loss to the exchequer by illegal mining.
He added that on Aug 5, 2015, the KPEC served another ground of arrest on the petitioner by accusing him of using his influence on a mining committee to favour the renewal of a person’s chromite mines licence.
Mr. Butt said the commission later served another ground of arrest on the petitioner related to facilitating alleged illegal mining of Phosphate in Abbottabad. He added that the petitioner was also investigated in another matter pertaining to appointments of some class IV employees.
He said during the prolonged period of his incarceration as an under-trial prisoner, the KPEC had filed four references against the petitioner in the Court of Judge, Ehtesab Court No. 1, Peshawar.
The lawyer said in the references so far filed against the petitioner, the respondents had provided long lists of over 100 witnesses which were to be examined by the prosecution.
He said despite the passage of almost 15 months since his arrest, his client hadn’t been formally charged even in a single reference and that there was no likelihood of the conclusion of trial in foreseeable future.
Mr. Butt said the co-accused in four references in question had already been released by the court on bail and therefore, the petitioner was also entitled to bail on the basis of the principle of consistency.
A KPEC prosecutor present in the court opposed the release of the petitioner on bail saying enough evidence of his corrupt practices was available on record.
He added that the petitioner was the prime accused in the four corruption cases.
Published in Dawn October 5th, 2016
[h=2]Teachers get cash prize for performing well
[/h] PESHAWAR: The provincial government made World Teachers’ Day special for teachers of high and higher secondary schools by awarding cash prizes to them for their good performance.
Under the Teachers Incentive Programme (TIP), about 1,900 head teachers and subject teachers of some 240 top performing schools were given Rs100,000 and Rs50,000 respectively at a ceremony held at Chief Minister’s House here on Wednesday.
“It is not the money but the gesture that counts,” said Sabira Hussain from Government High School Malakand. She said that such gestures encouraged teachers to continue doing their best.
[h=4]Imran stresses need for character building of students[/h]
Sabira, who was content like her name, said that an appreciation certificate of “best teacher” given to her for her 28 years service was enough. “It is like a toffee for us,” smiled Ms Hussain, adding that like a child was motivated by parents to do something good by offering him a candy, the teachers, who were already getting paid, felt that the cash prize was a candy that made them happy.
Mehnaz, a teacher at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Panyala in Dera Ismail Khan, said that in the past teachers were never encouraged like that. The government had always been ignoring teachers in all kinds of schemes but in her entire career it was the first time that a teacher was rewarded with cash prize for showing good performance.
Imran Khan, the chief of the ruling party in the province, gave away cheques to the teachers after delivering a speech on how important it was for the PTI government to bring reforms in education and health sectors.
He said that it was prime responsibility of the government to provide education, health and justice to people. He said that teachers made nations and built their character. Recalling his mother’s advice, Mr Khan requested the teachers to teach children at schools to speak the truth and make them human beings having good character.
The teachers, who had perhaps seen PTI chairman first time talk live, also kept making his videos on the mobile phones and taking his pictures.
“It is a revolutionary step, which has made teaching community very happy,” said Nasira Zainab, a teacher at Government Saheed Baqir Ali Khan Higher Secondary School, Hangu. She said that in the past teachers were not promoted easily.
Under the TIP, financial incentive to the teachers of 240 government high and higher secondary schools in all the districts would be provided. The teachers, the beneficiaries of the programme, appreciated the step but political observers say the move could also have an impact on next general elections. It is pertinent to mention that teachers of government schools perform as polling staff usually during general elections.
Provincial Minister for Education Atif Khan claimed that it was for the first time in the history of the province that teachers were given cash prizes for their good performance.
He said that last year Rs50 million were allocated for TIP but in the current year the amount was doubled to Rs110 million as the number of schools showing good performance was increased.
The minister said that imparting training to some 83,000 teachers by institutions like British Council would help them to get international teaching certificate.
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2016
[h=2]
[/h]
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
[h=2]Special economic zones approved
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Economic Zone Authority (KP-SEZA) has approved two new special economic zones in the province.
A meeting to this effect was held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat which was chaired by KP-SEZA chairman Ghulam Dastagir to review applications for setting up two special economic zones in Dera Ismail Khan.
The committee approved both applications and recommended that these be taken up at the federal level, according to a statement issued here on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by provincial secretary industries Farah Hamid, CM’s special assistant Abdul Karim Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company CEO Mohsin Syed and others.
Mr Dasatagir said that a range of special incentives for industries in the area would result in rapid industrialisation leading to job creation, increased commercial activity and skill enhancement for the inhabitants of the province.
He said that the business and job creation opportunities would not only be limited to the main areas, but would also be extended to the previously neglected areas of southern areas.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
[h=2]Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on way to get rid of polio
[/h] PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on its way to get rid of polio in line with goal set forth in the National Emergency Polio Eradication Plan, which seeks to halt circulation of polio by December 2016 before its eradication in 2017, according to experts.
They said that Pakistan was on its way to be declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation. For the purpose, the country needed to remain polio-free for three consecutive years, they added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has cut down polio cases by half as it had 14 polio cases in 2015 which slipped to seven in 2016. Pakistan recorded 39 cases in 2015 compared to 14 this year. It shows an overall improvement in the battle against poliomyelitis.
“Despite marked success, we are laying focus on unvaccinated children and addressing refusals against vaccination in the areas, which weren’t covered,” said the experts.
[h=4]Experts call for continuation of quality vaccination[/h]
To ensure quality vaccination, the anti-polio campaigns were carried out countrywide simultaneously to vaccinate children and materialise the plan to purge the country of poliovirus in 2017.
Pakistan is close to polio eradication as a result of two-decade long programme, which saw many ups and downs, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where anti-vaccine elements actively campaigned to deprive children of vaccination.
Anti-polio segments advanced argument that the government was sending health workers at the doors of people for polio drops while the people were not treated well for more serious ailments like hepatitis, cancer etc. They also spread misconceptions about vaccination to their advantage.
Multi-pronged campaigns by local clerics and prayer leaders hampered the anti-polio drive in the province. Propagators alleged that immunisation was meant to make recipients incapable of producing children and vaccination was disallowed before occurrence of a disease in Islam.
Experts said that the global eradication campaign eliminated the childhood disease in 122 countries, using the same oral polio vaccine and it didn’t contain any agents supposed to cause any problem.
With the defeat of Taliban, there is an increasing demand for vaccination but the government has to plug loopholes in the system and reach a few thousands unvaccinated children, who posed threats to lives of others.
“For this purpose, special directives have been issued to deputy commissioners to supervise anti-polio campaigns in areas of their jurisdiction in an effort to achieve targets of the national plan,” said experts.
Environmental water sample had tested negative for poliovirus in Peshawar, which was declared one of the three poliovirus reservoirs in the country.
Experts said that water samples recently emerged positive for virus in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi which meant that the children were at risk of getting the infection.
“Polio is the only disease in the world which can be completely eradicated through vaccination. Other diseases cannot be eradicated. The low transmission season will also help the health department to halt circulation of virus by end of the current year,” said experts.
Target campaigns in October and November will vaccinate children in high-risk union councils throughout the province and the year will end with a full-scale campaign in December.
Experts said that the province made remarkable progress on polio front and was set to become polio-free if it continued quality vaccination, which was required in the final stage of polio eradication.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1288582/khyber-pakhtunkhwa-on-way-to-get-rid-of-polio
[h=2]Councillors educated on RTS law
[/h] ABBOTTABAD: The Right to Service Commission of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organised an awareness seminar for councillors at Jalal Baba Auditorium here on Thursday.
The seminar was attended by more than 100 district and tehsil councillors, government officials, journalists and civil society activists.
RTS chief commissioner Azmat Hanif Orakzai informed participants about the RTS law, especially its use for resolution of the people’s problems.
He said the RTS law was one of the noted and successful initiatives of the provincial government as part of its reforms agenda for good governance.
District nazim Sardar Sher Bahadur appreciated the government’s initiatives for good governance in the province.
He however complained some civil servants created hurdles to the smooth execution of the government’s plans and policies.
Deputy commissioner Aurangzeb Haider Khan asked the government officials to ensure effective implementation of the RTS law.
Tehsil nazim Ishaque Sulemani said he was hopeful that the RTS law would benefit councillors and thus, helping them serve the people at grassroots level.
The chief commissioner later responded to questions of participants and said the recommendations made by councillors would be communicated to the chief minister and chief secretary for consideration.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Economic Zone Authority (KP-SEZA) has approved two new special economic zones in the province.
A meeting to this effect was held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat which was chaired by KP-SEZA chairman Ghulam Dastagir to review applications for setting up two special economic zones in Dera Ismail Khan.
The committee approved both applications and recommended that these be taken up at the federal level, according to a statement issued here on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by provincial secretary industries Farah Hamid, CM’s special assistant Abdul Karim Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company CEO Mohsin Syed and others.
Mr Dasatagir said that a range of special incentives for industries in the area would result in rapid industrialisation leading to job creation, increased commercial activity and skill enhancement for the inhabitants of the province.
He said that the business and job creation opportunities would not only be limited to the main areas, but would also be extended to the previously neglected areas of southern areas.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
[h=2]Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on way to get rid of polio
[/h] PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on its way to get rid of polio in line with goal set forth in the National Emergency Polio Eradication Plan, which seeks to halt circulation of polio by December 2016 before its eradication in 2017, according to experts.
They said that Pakistan was on its way to be declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation. For the purpose, the country needed to remain polio-free for three consecutive years, they added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has cut down polio cases by half as it had 14 polio cases in 2015 which slipped to seven in 2016. Pakistan recorded 39 cases in 2015 compared to 14 this year. It shows an overall improvement in the battle against poliomyelitis.
“Despite marked success, we are laying focus on unvaccinated children and addressing refusals against vaccination in the areas, which weren’t covered,” said the experts.
[h=4]Experts call for continuation of quality vaccination[/h]
To ensure quality vaccination, the anti-polio campaigns were carried out countrywide simultaneously to vaccinate children and materialise the plan to purge the country of poliovirus in 2017.
Pakistan is close to polio eradication as a result of two-decade long programme, which saw many ups and downs, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where anti-vaccine elements actively campaigned to deprive children of vaccination.
Anti-polio segments advanced argument that the government was sending health workers at the doors of people for polio drops while the people were not treated well for more serious ailments like hepatitis, cancer etc. They also spread misconceptions about vaccination to their advantage.
Multi-pronged campaigns by local clerics and prayer leaders hampered the anti-polio drive in the province. Propagators alleged that immunisation was meant to make recipients incapable of producing children and vaccination was disallowed before occurrence of a disease in Islam.
Experts said that the global eradication campaign eliminated the childhood disease in 122 countries, using the same oral polio vaccine and it didn’t contain any agents supposed to cause any problem.
With the defeat of Taliban, there is an increasing demand for vaccination but the government has to plug loopholes in the system and reach a few thousands unvaccinated children, who posed threats to lives of others.
“For this purpose, special directives have been issued to deputy commissioners to supervise anti-polio campaigns in areas of their jurisdiction in an effort to achieve targets of the national plan,” said experts.
Environmental water sample had tested negative for poliovirus in Peshawar, which was declared one of the three poliovirus reservoirs in the country.
Experts said that water samples recently emerged positive for virus in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi which meant that the children were at risk of getting the infection.
“Polio is the only disease in the world which can be completely eradicated through vaccination. Other diseases cannot be eradicated. The low transmission season will also help the health department to halt circulation of virus by end of the current year,” said experts.
Target campaigns in October and November will vaccinate children in high-risk union councils throughout the province and the year will end with a full-scale campaign in December.
Experts said that the province made remarkable progress on polio front and was set to become polio-free if it continued quality vaccination, which was required in the final stage of polio eradication.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1288582/khyber-pakhtunkhwa-on-way-to-get-rid-of-polio
[h=2]Councillors educated on RTS law
[/h] ABBOTTABAD: The Right to Service Commission of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organised an awareness seminar for councillors at Jalal Baba Auditorium here on Thursday.
The seminar was attended by more than 100 district and tehsil councillors, government officials, journalists and civil society activists.
RTS chief commissioner Azmat Hanif Orakzai informed participants about the RTS law, especially its use for resolution of the people’s problems.
He said the RTS law was one of the noted and successful initiatives of the provincial government as part of its reforms agenda for good governance.
District nazim Sardar Sher Bahadur appreciated the government’s initiatives for good governance in the province.
He however complained some civil servants created hurdles to the smooth execution of the government’s plans and policies.
Deputy commissioner Aurangzeb Haider Khan asked the government officials to ensure effective implementation of the RTS law.
Tehsil nazim Ishaque Sulemani said he was hopeful that the RTS law would benefit councillors and thus, helping them serve the people at grassroots level.
The chief commissioner later responded to questions of participants and said the recommendations made by councillors would be communicated to the chief minister and chief secretary for consideration.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
08 October 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
October 09 2016
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
October 10 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
October 11 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
October 12 2016
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Oct 13 2016
